Hinge and ladder

Abstract

A hinge and a reconfigurable ladder having at least one pair of hinges is disclosed. The ladder has stile sections connected together by the hinges. The hinges consist of two hinge members mountable to ends of respective stile sections. A hinge cover extends over and receives the hinge members which are pivotally connected to the cover. The hinge members are linked to each other to control the pivotal movement of the hinge member so that they both pivot in unison and to the same extend relative to the cover. The hinge members have locating apertures. A locking mechanism is cooperable with the locating apertures for locking the hinge members in a desired relative position to one another.

I claim: 
     
       1. A hinge for a reconfigurable ladder, the ladder having two spaced stiles and each stile comprising a plurality of stile sections, the hinge including two hinge members and a respective said hinge member being mountable to each end of two adjacent stile sections to allow the stile sections to be coupled to one another, a hinge cover extending over and receiving the hinge members and having the hinge members pivotally connected thereto about respective pivot axes located between sides of the stile sections, the hinge members being linked to each other by at least one link member pivotally coupled to the hinge members at locations spaced from the pivot axes and extending between the hinge members, whereby the pivotal movement of the hinge members relative to the cover is controlled so that both said hinge members may pivot in unison and to the same extend relative to the cover, the hinge members each having a plurality of locating apertures, and a locking mechanism cooperable with the locating apertures for locking the hinge members in a desired relative position to one another. 
     
     
       2. The hinge in claim 1 including two said link members with the two link members including springs and the spring crossing over one another at a location between the hinge members. 
     
     
       3. The hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge cover has a plurality of apertures and the locking mechanism cooperates with the apertures in the cover and the hinge members for locking the hinge members in a desired relative position to one another. 
     
     
       4. The hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge cover has a plurality of apertures, the link member has a plurality of apertures and the locking mechanism cooperates with the apertures in the hinge member, the cover and in the link member for locking the hinge members in a desired relative position to one another. 
     
     
       5. The hinge of claim 1 wherein the cover is substantially U shaped having two side walls and a connecting web, the connecting web acts to limit the extent to which the hinge members may pivot. 
     
     
       6. The hinge of claim 5 wherein the cover is made of two L shaped parts which together form the substantially U shaped configuration. 
     
     
       7. The hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge members have rearwardly directed arms terminating in fastener receiving flutes for securing the hinge members to the stile sections. 
     
     
       8. The hinge of claim 1 wherein each of the hinge members has an arcuate leading portion and the locating apertures are located at spaced locations along the arcuate portion of each of the hinge members. 
     
     
       9. The hinge of claim 7 wherein the locating apertures are present in the hinge members between the rearwardly directed arms. 
     
     
       10. A reconfigurable ladder having two spaces stiles each consisting of a plurality of stile sections and a hinge according to claim 1 pivotally interconnecting at least adjacent said stile sections of each said stile. 
     
     
       11. The ladder of claim 10 wherein the locking mechanism is mounted relative to a rung of the ladder and includes an operating member movable relative to the rung and having locking members biased into engagement with the hinge members and the cover to lock the hinge members into a desired orientation and movable out of engagement with the hinge members to enable the hinge members to be pivoted and locked in an alternative orientation. 
     
     
       12. The ladder of claim 10 wherein the locking mechanism is mounted relative to a rung of the ladder, the rung extending between two spaces stiles and each stile comprising stile sections hinged together, the mechanism including an operating member movable relative to the rung and linked to respective locking members biased into engagement with the hinges on opposed stiles to lock the hinge members of each said hinge into a desired orientation and the respective locking members being movable in unison out of engagement with the respective hinge members of the hinges on the opposed stiles to unlock both hinges in unison to enable the hinge members to be pivoted and locked in an alternative orientation. 
     
     
       13. The ladder of claim 10 wherein the locking mechanism is mounted relative to a rung of the ladder and includes an operating member movable relative to the rung and locking members biased into engagement with the hinges on each side of the ladder and movable out of engagement with the hinges to allow the ladder to be configured into an alternative position. 
     
     
       14. The ladder of claim 13 wherein the operating member comprises a lever and the locking members comprise oppositely directed arms and the mechanism includes a gear by the lever and the gear engages the oppositely directed arms. 
     
     
       15. The ladder of claim 14 wherein ends of the opposed arms spaced from the gear are slotted and have locking pins mounted thereto for movement within the slot. 
     
     
       16. The ladder of claim 10 wherein the locking mechanism is located substantially within the rung.